BUG: 3 bars on gpsmap 62s (and 90 minutes left)

[freeday]

On using the gpsmap 62s, you will have 4 bars for a very long time.

BUT having 3 bars, the unit powers down after 90 minutes (using ENELOOP-batteries)

 

The gpsmap 60 csx has a much better batterie management and shows continous 4-3-2-1 bars.

 

So using a a gpsmap 62s you might start in the mornig with 4 bars, and 2 hours later the batteries might be emty. You cannot controll, if the batterie is fine with 4 bars.

CHART

 

I asked garmin.com about this bug and they told me:

The quick reading to discharge that you are seeing sounds very familiar to Lithium batteries. I would suggest running on that setting to see if you get a better battery indicator. We do not have settings on the unit for Energizer, or Duracel and highly doubt that one would be made for a specific battery. It is always best to have a idea of how long you have been using a set of batteries.

[freeday]

Workaround for testing ENELOOP and other low self-dicharge NiMH batterys (LSD-NiMH):

Diagnostic Menu: Press ENTER-key during powering on the gpsmap 62s and then you get information about VBAT (Voltage Battery):

 

VBATT for ENELOOP

3,03 - 100%-Battery

2,76 - 90%-Battery

2,65 - 80%-Battery

2,63 - 70%-Battery

2,61 - 60%-Battery

2,60 - 50%-Battery

2,59 - 40%-Battery

2,55 - 30%-Battery

2,51 - 20%-Battery

2,46 - 10%-Battery

 

I still hope that Garmin will improve the batteryindicator AND insert the VBATT-filed into the tripcomputerpage and mappage (as an optional field to display)

Edited August 30, 2010 by freeday

[freeday]

GARMIN will NOT insert the VBATT-field